Inward Blog

Viewing entries posted in September 2015

Work-Life balance has long been a topic of conversation when talking about issues that need to be addressed to increase employee engagement and satisfaction. I started my career as a public accountant. Especially during tax season, it was not unusual or unexpected for auditors to work 60 to 80 hours per week. When we thought about work-life balance, it meant that for those few hours when we were not working, the last thing we wanted to do was to think about the office or our jobs. There really was a very clear line between our work and personal life and they only converged if we attended a company social event like a holiday party. So when we attended social events or got together with family or friends, we directed our conversations and discussions to other things that were important to us, like friends, hobbies, family, travel, etc.

The other day I was approached by a prospective new manufacturing client. They had a robust employee engagement and employee brand program, but for reasons unbeknownst to him, they were not being effective. They were doing all the right things in regard to regular frequent communications, having a message that was aligned with corporate vision and mission, and a decent recognition / reward program which supported appropriate behaviors and innovations. But the programs were not having the impact he and senior management desired. He had hoped for higher employee retention, greater brand ambassadorship and advocacy in higher productivity and efficiency of performance but none of that was happening.

You’ve laid out a great strategy. You’ve done everything right. You made sure that all of the leadership team members were aligned around a common vision, culture, and strategy. You’ve communicated it consistently and continuously to all employees. You’ve made it clear how their work supports the delivery of that strategy. And you’ve created a culture of high engagement so that everyone is enrolled in achieving the vision and delivering on the strategy, exhibiting behaviors and attitudes that support your defined culture. And then it happens… A crisis hits. A competitor announces a surprise new product that will pose a serious threat to your market share. A supplier unexpectedly raises their prices, putting pressure on your margins. Or a key executive decides to join the competition.

We live in a complicated world with more information hitting us daily than we can possibly absorb. It’s interesting to watch the evolution of technology as it balances advancement with ease of use and absorption. I remember the days when you needed a programmer to access data or when the user interface was so confusing that technology only seemed relevant to the technologically adept. With significant technological advances over the last 10 years, the user interface has become easier and easier for those who are not technology wizards, with the increasing use of voice activation. I can now tell my GPS where I want to go, I can tell my TV what I want to watch, and with the recent introduction of the Amazon Echo, I can tell “Alexa” to provide me with the weather, look information up on Wikipedia, run calculations, and play music that I want to hear. At one point, Android phones were only for the technology experts, while Apple was creating user interfaces that were easy for anyone to use. Android has now made significant strides in using advanced technology but simplifying the ability to use it and access information.

Businesses are getting smarter every day. Big data and predictive analytics have allowed companies to operate more efficiently and effectively. Globalization has forced collaboration in real time from all ends of the Earth; fostering innovation as the array of knowledge inputs expands exponentially.

Employee engagement is one of the most significant challenges facing organizations today. In order for companies to deliver exceptional customer experiences, they must create a culture in which employees understand, believe in and are committed to achieving the vision and delivering on the strategy / brand promise. But before you can begin to address a strategy or programs to create that culture of engagement, there must be alignment of the vision, culture, and business strategy within the organization.

Last week both Google and Verizon each unveiled a redesigned logo that opts for a simpler, cleaner look. Verizon is now written in a small, black font next to a thin, red check mark. The day before this announcement, Google introduced its own new logo with a thinner font that could be read on smaller mobile devices.

As we look back over our careers, we often have defining moments that shape our view of the world forever. When I was in my late 30’s, I had the incredible opportunity to manage one of the world’s most iconic brands, KitchenAid. Up to this point in my career, other than a short two-year period running a cable television operation in rural Kentucky, my experience had been in the financial field; so you can imagine my surprise and delight when I was presented with this opportunity. At this time, KitchenAid Portable Appliances was a one-product organization, manufacturing and marketing the legendary Stand Mixer. I will never forget when I took the assignment that my marching orders from the President of KitchenAid were twofold: First and foremost, don’t mess this up. Protect the equity of the brand and reputation of the KitchenAid stand mixer. And two, grow the business from a one-product company to a full small appliance competitor.

I lived in Detroit for over 17 years and worked in the automotive advertising industry (1976 – 1993). I started out in Detroit right after graduating with a Master’s of Science in Advertising from the University of Illinois. I was fortunate enough to get a job in the media department at McCann-Erickson working on the Buick and GMC truck account. After seven years with McCann, I was recruited away for a consumer insights/strategy position at Young and Rubicam after they won the Lincoln Mercury account. After that, Lee Iacocca fired Y&R and assigned the Chrysler account to Kenyon & Eckhardt. It was like a game of musical chairs.